Los Angeles daily herald., 1887-12-07
A STRANGE RACE.
The Hydahs of the Quecn Char
iolte Islands.


There is now on exhibition at the
Old London Street one of the finest
collections OF Indian relirs and curios-
tiles ever seen in this city. They were
collected by Captain Newton H. Crit
tenden on the Queen Charlotte Is
lands, off British Colum oia. Tie peo-
pie OF these islands, now reduced to
$50 souls, are of fair complexion and
remarkably intelligent. In accordance
with a well-known genealogical prin
cipal. their name, "Hydahs," means
"the people,"
One of these Hydah curiosities is a
hammer, carved and on granite. Its
mead, six inches long, is shaped like
that of an eagle. AS the tribe is
divided into political parties, known
respectively as the Bears and the
Eagles, this hammer was probably a
political emblem. Another imple-
uent is warriors weapon, make of
Alaskan copper and shaped like bat
tle-axe. The head of the Hydah God
Wasco is hammered OH one end OF
the axe. These Weapons are
highly priced, and Captain C'ittendeu
obtained this sample from woman
after promising to conceal it until she
should leave The country. TIE Cap.
tain did not say what he gave in re-
| urn for this most interesting curioSi-
~, but It is known that a similar one
was secured in exchange for six slaves
at $500 each, ten AoXes OF oil at - Il
b TX, two dance dresses valued at 43
4 piece, and canoe 81 feet LONG, val
ued at 500, the whole amounting to
| $500.
The collection also includes very
eXtrdordinar, set Of gambling sticks
| used by the natives. Tue USUAL set
contains fifty sticks, but this one is
composed OF only twcnty-siX. they
are cy linuric,il in form and about ftul
inches long. TWenly-four Of them
are beautifully carved with the i'm
ages of fish, birds and beasts found
in that region. The peculiar feature
of the set is that tao of the sticks are
carved with hum n figures almost
exact counlerparts OF the ti1ures lCuud
on the old Egyptian monuments and
in Assyrian carving. One represents
high priest with his axe raised to
slay the sacrifice. The o,her is the
figure of a mummy,
The fire-makiug implement of these
people is Il narrow liece of walrus
tu>k about a foot and half long,
shaped like bow, and Oh which are
engraved hunting scenes. To this is
IA tAched a sealskin string. Fire is
made by taking turn of the string
ar, und stick OF hard wood, and by
h Sc means revolving it against
al other piece Of hard wood punk is
paced from time to time in the hole
worn in the under board, and the heat
generated from the friction of the two
pieces OF wood causes the punk to ig-
mite. The mu ic Of the hydolia is an
imitation of the cries OF the birds, and
is made by a series Of whistle with
which the natives become very ex.
pert. Thew al-n use the tom-tom,
made of alrus hide
These people have a novel way OF
hunting birds, using instead of a ow
and arrows, Il peculiar sharp harpoon
This instrument is about five feet
long, the point being made of u piece
walrus tusk ten inches long. The
stick is of cyprus, and about half way
up three fish bones are arranged
around the stick, these points extend.
ing outward in order to stick the bird
in case The point at the end should
miss. This harpoon, when used, is
neld in the left hand. In the right is
a paddle OF hard wood eighteen inches
long, on the face OF which is u groove
extending almost to the end. The tip
ofthe haipoon is fitted intothis groove,
and then the weapon is thrown with
double force. The native can strike II
fJwl in water fully 100 feet distant. a
nunter usually carries with him a
number of these harpoons of various
sizes.-[New York Mail and Express.